Sanitary toothbrush holder



P' 1952 w. J. KEYS ,477

SANITARY TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER I Filed July 1, 1949 Fig.3

Inventor I William J. keys WWW i m,

Patented Sept. 23,- 1952 UNITED STATES SANITARY TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER William J. Keys, Waterloo, N. Y.'

Application July 1, 1949, Serial No. 102,631

3 Claims. (01. 206-451) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in article "holding devices, and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary toothbrush holder, made of plastic, metal, orany other workable substance. for the purpose of segregating brushes to help prevent the spread of transmittable diseases and also to provide a more attractive holder for the home.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary toothbrush holder of any suitable color, or in a variety of colors, and having a base of novel construction and a plurality of closures hinged to the base and colored similar to or in contrast with the base.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary toothbrush holder having individual closures for each of the toothbrushes supported on the holder and so arranged as to permit the closures to be quickly and readily opened in a convenient manner for access to the toothbrushes,

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary toothbrush holder that is adapted for attachment to any suitable supporting structural element, such as a wall, cabinet or the like.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a sanitary toothbrush holder that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the present sanitary toothbrush holder;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the locking means in slightly modified form; and

Figure 61s a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the locking means in still further modified form.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents an elongated substantially rectangular base member, of preferably plastic material, having a plurality of spaced parallel recesses, grooves or channels formed in its outer face including a central channel l2 and end channels I4 and i6.

Lugs l8 integrally formed with the base member lfl are positioned in the channels I2, [4 and it, there being one lug for each of the channels. The outer ends of the lugs it are formed with upstanding lips or shoulders 20 that will tend to retain a toothbrush 22 received on the said lugs.

The base It is provided with a flanged portion or marginal molding 24 having apertures 28 therein that receive fasteners 28 whereby the base member is detachably secured to a supporting structure, such as a wall 30.

Means is provided for closing channels l2, I4 and It. This means comprises a plurality of hollow members or closures including a central or intermediate closure 32 and end closures 3G and 36. Ihe end closures 34 and 36 are provided with outer side walls 38 and 40 and upper and lower lugs 42 integrally formed with the end closures 34 and 36 project laterally from the side walls 38 and 40. Upper and lower ears 44 integrally formed with the base member Imand disposed adjacent'the channels is and i6, receive pivot pins 46 depending from the lugs 42. The lower ends of the pivot pins 46 are flattened to prevent disengagement of the pins from the ears 44.

Pairs of spaced ears or eye members 48 project upwardly from the upper wall 50 of the central closure 32 and are received between a series of spaced ears 52 integrally formed with the base member It. The ears 48 and 52 are joinedby a suitable pivot pin, thereby permitting vertical swinging movement of the closure 32 with respect to the base when the base is applied to a vertical surface.

Each of the closures is provided with a plurality of openings or apertures 54 so that air may enter the channels l2, l4 and [6 to properly ventilate the toothbrushes 22 that are supported within the channels.

Means is provided for retaining the closures in a closed position. This means consists of a frictional fit between the inner side walls 56 and 58 of the end closures and ribs 60 and 62 projecting from the outer face of the base member adjacent the channels l4 and I6 and a further rib adjacent the lower end of the channel l2 over which the lower wall of the closure 32 will ride.

Figure 5 shows a further type of locking means such as a longitudinal rib 64 on the outer face of the base member having a flange 65 that will lock with a corresponding flange 68 on a selected wall of the closure, it being understood that the side walls of the end closures are'to be locked in this manner and the lower end wall of the central closure is also to be locked in this manner.

Reference is now directed to Figure 6 wherein there is disclosed a still further modified form of the locking means that is to be utilized in conjunction with the present invention. In this embodiment, the closures are locked to ribs 10 integrally formed with the outer face of the base member ID by protuberances 12 on the ribs 10 that are yieldingly retained in recesses 14 formed in a selected wall of the closure.

An outstanding feature of the construction consists of a depression or well 16 provided in the lower wall of each channel so that any moisture falling from the toothbrush will enter the well 16 and will not seep between the closure and .the base member to fall upon and :harmfully affect furniture or other articles which may be .disposed beneath the instant holder. The well 16 is so shaped that it can be cleaned with a-towel around a usersfinger.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a-clear understanding of "the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, :that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the'sam'e is susceptible to certain changes :fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described .theinvention, what is claimed as new is: v V

1. A sanitary toothbrush holder-comprising a base member including aforward-surface having a plurality of spaced parallelside by side grooves thereinincluding first and second end grooves and a central groove, lugs integrally formed with the base member and disposed within thegrooves for supporting toothbrushes, a plurality of elongated hollow clos'ures for the vgroovesincluding first and second end closures and an intermediate closure, means pivotally securing one end of the intermediate closure to the forward surface of base member, and means pivotally securing one side of each of the end closures to the forward surface of the base member.

2. A sanitary toothbrush holder comprising a base member including a forward surface having a plurality of spaced parallel grooves therein including first and second end grooves and a central groove, lugs integrally formed with the base member and disposed within the grooves for supporting toothbrushes, a plurality of elongated hollow pliable closures for the grooves including first and second end closures and an intermediate closure, means pivotally securing one end of the intermediate closure to the forward surface of the base member, means carried by the base member and engaging the intermediate closure for frictionally locking the intermediate closure in a closed position, said end. closures having outer side walls, means pivotally securing the outer side walls of said end closures to the forward surface of said base member, and means carried by said base member engaging said end closures for frictionally. locking the end closures in a closed position.

3. A sanitary toothbrush holder comprising a vertical base member including a .forwardsurface having a'plurality of spac'edparallel grooves therein including first and second end grooves and a central groove, lugs integrally formed with the base for supporting toothbrushes, a plurality of elongated identical closures for the grooves including first-and second end-closures and an intermediate closure, a horizontal pivot securing one end of saidintermediate closure to'the forward surface of said base member for vertical swinging movement of the intermediate closure relative -to the base member, said end-closures including outer side walls, and vertical pivots securing the outer side walls of said end closures to the forward surface of said base for horizontal swingingmovement of said end closures'relative to the base.

WILLIAM J. KEYS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Joslin Oct. 18, 1949 

